This invention relates generally to a cabinet locking device. More particularly, the invention relates to a locking device for securing two file cabinet drawers within a file cabinet housing.
Office file cabinets typically include multiple drawers which are secured by some sort of locking device. Many of these locking devices are exceedingly complex and costly to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 311,898 discloses a locking mechanism for locking two cabinets together whereby the locking mechanism consists of a bolt pivotally attached inside a mullion between two drawers. When the locking mechanism is to be engaged, the bolt is rotated and the distal ends of the bolt enter into slots located in the bottom of the upper drawer and the top of the lower drawer, thereby preventing the drawers from being opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,492 discloses a locking device, intended for use with vehicular audio equipment, in which a key-operated lock is mounted inside the dashboard between two units of audio equipment. A securing arm is rotatably affixed to the lock behind the dashboard so that, when rotated by a key, the distal ends of the securing arm extend through slots in the bottom of the upper audio unit and the top of the lower audio unit and hook onto a pin in each audio unit, whereby the securing arm prevents removal of the unit housings from the dashboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,549 discloses a gang lock for locking a plurality of drawers, the lock having a lock bar provided with a plurality of hooks and extending vertically inside a cabinet housing. Means are provided for shifting the lock bar so that, when activated, the hooks engage a portion of each drawer, and when deactivated, the hooks disengage from the drawers so that they can be opened.
When employing locking devices such as those disclosed above to secure file cabinet drawers, a potential problem stems from the fact that the bolt or arms of the locking device must extend simultaneously into the slots formed in the drawers. Therefore, the slot in each drawer and the corresponding end of the bolt or the arm must be simultaneously aligned so that when the locking device is turned, the distal end of the bolt or the arm will enter the slot in each drawer.
As units grow old and receive normal wear and tear from everyday use, the drawers can become misaligned or the locking device can bend slightly, etc., making it difficult to simultaneously align the slots in each drawer with the locking device. These difficulties may be overcome temporarily by jiggling the misaligned drawer until the misaligned slot properly aligns with the bolt end or the arm. However, because the bolt ends or arms of the locking device must extend into the slot of each drawer simultaneously, and the entire locking device mechanism is concealed within the housing of the cabinet, it is difficult to determine whether misalignment is due to a bent drawer slot, a bent locking device, or some combination thereof. In addition, if the locking device requires repair, at least one of the drawers must be completely removed from the cabinet housing to gain access to the locking device mechanism.